Ventilated shoe.



PATENTED M115, 1903;

No. M1362.

c. H. MATSON, VENTILATBDSHOE. I `A=PPL10AT10N FILED rms. 17., 1902.

N0. MUDEL.

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UNITED- STATES Patenten neeemter" 15, 190s.

PATENT OFFICE,

CHARLES H. MATSON, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF ANDCHARLES P. ANDERSON, OE WORCESTER, MASSACHU- SETTS.

VENTILATED SHOE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 746,862, dated December15, i903. Application filed February 1'7 1902 .'I Serial No. 94,399. (Nomodell) This invention relates to that class of ventilated shoes orother footwear in which pro' vision is made for a circulation of air inthe space between the inner sole and outsole of t the shoe.

The especial objects of this invention are to provide an inlet orair-supply passage which is so located as to be less liable to becomechoked or filled up than in other constructions which have beenheretofore em? ployed, to provide an improved form of flexibleseparating-piece or middle sole for separating the inner and ou tersole, to provide an additional welt, and to arrange the parts so that asurrounding air-channel will be formed extending substantially aroundthe outline of the shoe and forming a connection between the separatedair chambers or cells into which open the perforations through `theinnersole.

To these ends this invention consists of the ventilated shoe as anarticle of manufacture and of the combinations of parts therein, ashereinafter described, and more particularly pointed out in the claim atthe end of this specication.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a sectional view of aventilated shoe constructed according to my invention. Fig. 2 is abottom view of the same with the outsole removed, and Fig. 3 is afragmentary side view showingthe position of thejnlet passage oropening. v- Y To provide a ventilated shoe or other form of footwear, ithas heretofore been proposed to provide a collapsible air chamber orpassage inside of the sole of the shoe, which is compressed or collapsedwhen a persons weight is resting thereon and which expands when thepressure is relieved, so that the airchamber will act substantially asa' bellows for causing a circulation of air through the sole of the shoeand up through perforations of the inner sole to the inside of the shoe.In

sole ltending substantially around the outer edge V,of the shoe.

the use of this class of footwear it has been found difficult to providea construction which will permanently retain its shape, thev repeatedcollapsing of the air-passage in the sole of thel shoe usually resultingin a speedy permanent bending in of the outer sole. To overcome thisobjection, a ventilated shoe or -other article of footwear constructedaccording to my invention is provided with a sepalrating-piece or middlesole, which is usually formed of rubber or other compressible materialand which is provided with a central rib or body portion which forms anefficient support for the center of the outsole and which is alsoprovided with arms or fingers extending from the opposite sides of itsbody portion to form small air cells or channels.

In the preferredconstruction the parts of a shoe or other article offootwear constructed according to inyinveution are preferablyarranged sothat a continuous air-channel extends around the separating-piece ormiddle connecting the several air-cells and ex- The airfchambers'of ashoe or other article of footwear constructed according to my inventionmay be supplied with air from any suitable inlet, although in practice lprefer to locate an airdnlet on the inner side of the shoe, over theheel, as I have found in practice liable to be stopped up by mud or dustthan when located either directly at the toe or heel of the shoe or atpoints on the outer side of the shoe.'

Referring to the accompanying drawings for a detail description of ashoe constructed according to my invention as herein illustrated, theshoe comprises an upper A, within which is an insole B, which isstitched onto or united to a welt C, which welt C is united to asupplemental welt D, the welts C and D being secured to the outsole E,having the ordinary heel F. These parts may be put together as in theordinary seWed-shoe construction, and while in practice I prefer toemploy'two welts C and D in order to provide a sufficient air-chamberbetween the inner sole and outer sole of a shoe constructed lthat aninlet-opening as thus located is less ICO according to my inventionI mayemploy only one welt, if desired, or may secure the desired amount ofair-space by usinga welt of greater than ordinary thickness.

Located in the air chamber or space between the inner sole and the outersole,`I provide a special form of separating-piece or middle sole. Asherein illustrated, this separating piece or middle sole is preferablystamped out of rubber and is provided with a central rib or body portion10, havingarms or fingers 11, extending from opposite sides thereof toform separate air cells or chambers. This form of separating-pieceormiddle sole I have found in practice will provide an ef-V cientsupport for the outer sole, which will prevent the outer sole fromdishing into permanentlydistorted position, while at the same time theseparating-piece or middle sole -is sufficiently collapsible to insurethe desired pumping or forcing of the air.

In practice I prefer to stamp out the separating-piece or middle sole ofsuch size that a continuous air-channel will be left completely aroundthe separating-piece, so as to form a connection between the separateair cells or chambers between the arms or fingers which project from thecentral rib of the separating-piece, and opening into each of theseseparate air chambers or cells is a perforation 12, extending up throughthe inner sole.

To prevent the collapse of the shank or instep portion of the shoe, Ipreferably use a stiffener or sole-supporter comprising a plate carryinga spring 14, and to support the cen-4 ter of the heel of the shoe Ipreferably provide a rubber heel-separating piece 15.

The inlet for the introduction of air is preferably provided through ametallic tube or bushing which is set into place on the inner side ofthe shoe, over the heel, an air-inlet as thus located being found inpractice to be less liable to be choked up than when located either atthe front orv extreme rear of the shoe or on the outer edge thereof, theair-inlet 16 providing fo'r a direct admission of air without requiringthe same to be drawn down through a comparatively long tube or passage,as has been suggested in a number of prior constructions. A I l I amaware that numerous changes may be made in practicing my invention bythose who are skilled in the art Without departing from the scopethereof .as expressed in the claim.

VI do not wish, therefore, to be limited to the construction I haveherein shown and described norto the application of my invention toshoes alone, as the same construction may be employedto advantage forventilatingthe heavier boots or other articles of footwear.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, s-

As an article of manufacture, a ventilated shoe having aniinsole, anoutsole, a separating-piece or middle sole formed of rubber and having acentral rib or body portion with arms extending from opposite sidesthereof, -a perforation from each air cell or chamber between the armsof the middle sole opening up through the insole, aspring-fork-separating device for separating the outsole and insole atthe shank of the shoe, a compressible heelpiece arranged between theoutsole and insole, and an air-supply tube opening at the inner side ofthe sole, substantially above the heel.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

CHARLES H. MATSON.

Witnesses:

PHILIP W. SOUTHGATE, Louis W. SOUTHGATE.

